Army chaplain from Greensboro spreads Easter message overseas

Saturday

Apr 19, 2014 at 11:00 PMApr 19, 2014 at 11:35 PM

Easter for U.S. troops on duty in Kabul, Afghanistan, isn’t much different than Easter at home. They don’t get dressed up in pastel colors and their families aren’t by their sides, but church services are the same.

By Angel CokerStaff Writer

Easter for U.S. troops on duty in Kabul, Afghanistan, isn’t much different than Easter at home. They don’t get dressed up in pastel colors and their families aren’t by their sides, but church services are the same.

Maj. Henry McCaskill Jr., an Army chaplain who is a Greensboro native and associate pastor at Elizabeth Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa, makes sure of that.

McCaskill, 56, will travel throughout Afghanistan to different locations of units under the 1st Theater Sustainment Command today to visit with troops, providing religious support and counseling. He said that wherever Army chaplains are stationed throughout the world, they will conduct regular services, but with an Easter theme.

Speaking by telephone from Afghanistan, McCaskill said it is important for the Army to provide the opportunity for troops to practice their religion, to help them maintain morale and overall spiritual wellness.

“I think many of them, through the practice of their faith, gain or keep the resiliency level needed to function in this kind of environment,” McCaskill said. “We (chaplains) also have to make sure that we stay resilient ourselves.”

McCaskill’s job as an operations and family life chaplain is to ensure that troops, commanding officers and other chaplains and chaplains’ assistants under his command receive advisement, religious support and counseling.

McCaskill also ensures all troops of the command are offered religious services, not only on holidays, but every week on the appropriate days of worship, depending on their denomination.

He said there are Bible studies, praise teams and regular church services. There are also Catholic services, Jewish services and other forms of religious services conducted by the appropriate chaplains.

McCaskill became an Army chaplain in 2007. He retired from the Air Force in 1987 and worked for the Department of Justice until 2010.

He deployed to Afghanistan in August 2013. He said this is his first deployment as a chaplain and his first Easter away from home. It is difficult for troops to be away from family and friends especially during the holidays, he said.

McCaskill’s wife of 34 years, Shirley McCaskill, said this is the longest amount of time her husband has been away from home. She said it is difficult being away from her spouse, but she supports him because providing spiritual guidance to troops is important.

“It’s important to practice your religion at anytime,” she said. “When you’re away from your family you want to hold onto that.”

Not only does McCaskill provide religious support and ensure troops are allowed to practice their religion, he also provides family, financial and spiritual counseling. He has also been a part of memorial services for fallen troops and provides counseling to wounded troops.

McCaskill said Army Gen. George Marshall (1880-1959) was right in saying the soldier’s heart, spirit and soul are everything.

“As a chaplain, one of our essential roles is to nurture the living, care for the wounded and honor the fallen,” McCaskill said.